Chapter 2404 — The Hint to Zhao Qilei

"Yes, the casino will have to be taught a lesson, of course—but we wait. We let the rumors die down first," Old Master Zhao said with a wave of his hand. "At the very least, we wait until word of Pu Huotai's and Pu Laoliu's deaths reaches Southeast Asia and their sect, so their sect knows who killed their disciples! If we move now and they pin it on us, we'd lose more than we gain. That Wei Zhao kid is a treacherous one—there's nothing he wouldn't stoop to."

"Understood, Father!" Zhao Guangyin had wanted to go after the casino right away, but on reflection his father's words made good sense. If they struck at the casino now and Pu Huotai's and Pu Laoliu's deaths somehow got blamed on their own family, what then?

"Grandfather... if Wei Zhao is that strong, then what about Zhao Qilei...?" It was finally Zhao Qibing's turn to speak. Whether or not they took revenge on the casino did not interest him in the least; what worried him was Zhao Qilei. If Zhao Qilei had Wei Zhao's backing, then who could stop him from seizing power?

"Father, Zhao Qilei must be eliminated!" Zhao Guangyin hesitated a moment, then added his own counsel.

"Ah!" Old Master Zhao sighed. His original plan had been this: if Wei Zhao could be killed over this Pu Huotai affair, then even if Zhao Qilei did not die, he would never stir up any real trouble again. At that point they could expel him from the Zhao family and let him live out his days as an ordinary rich man. But now it seemed there was no choice—Zhao Qilei had to go, or the trouble to come would be endless!

"Patriarch, as things stand, Zhao Qilei is still somewhat resistant to entering the trial. But if we tell him that Wei Zhao is also taking part in the trial, then perhaps Zhao Qilei will go willingly!" Chief Zhu suggested.

"Oh?" Old Master Zhao mused for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. You go and tell him. I won't see him myself..."

Though Old Master Zhao had steeled his heart, he could not help but feel a certain pang.

Chief Zhu was secretly pleased. He had offered this advice precisely in order to get close to Zhao Qilei, and sure enough, the task had fallen to him! He had calculated it in advance—Old Master Zhao was a little heartbroken over the matter and would most likely not go himself.

And Zhao Qibing and Zhao Qilei were mortal enemies; Zhao Qilei would hardly believe a word Zhao Qibing said.

As for Zhao Guangyin, he was Zhao Qibing's father and likewise unsuited to the task. So once he had raised the matter, it naturally fell to him—one might say it was only proper.

"Yes, sir!" Chief Zhu answered at once.

Without quite realizing it, Chief Zhu had come to understand that he was already aboard Wei Zhao's pirate ship. Getting off was no longer really possible. It had been settled from the moment Wei Zhao discovered his identity! So although Chief Zhu was not entirely willing, he had no way out.

Fortunately, helping Zhao Qilei was still helping the Zhao family—merely a different faction of it. So Chief Zhu did not feel too great a burden on his conscience.

He came to Zhao Qilei's room, knocked on the door, and pushed it open.

Zhao Qilei was sitting silently on his bed, eyes closed in cultivation. Hearing the door, he did not open his eyes, only said, "Leave the food on the table. I'll eat in a while."

These days someone brought Zhao Qilei his meals every day, and he had grown used to it. Skilled guards stood watch at his door, and with his strength there was no escaping anyway, so Zhao Qilei could not be bothered to try.

As for the food, Zhao Qilei ate it without worry. The hidden Zhao family might want him dead, but they would never stoop to poisoning him. A family had a family's rules; once such a precedent was set, and every future contest for the position of patriarch began with poison, the hidden Zhao family would soon destroy itself.

So the only way to be rid of Zhao Qilei was through some scheme like the Xuan Dan Sect's trial. Zhao Qilei had seen through the truth of it, and over these days had come to terms with much. He had all but resigned himself to his fate...

"Qitan, someone asked me to tell you one thing—go to the trial without fear!" Chief Zhu lowered his voice and spoke softly to Zhao Qilei.

"Hm?" Zhao Qilei's eyes flew open. He stared at Chief Zhu before him, puzzled. Chief Zhu was no stranger to him, but Chief Zhu had always been Zhao Qibing's man. For him to suddenly come running over and say such a thing left Zhao Qilei utterly baffled.

But Chief Zhu did not pursue the matter further. Instead he said, "The patriarch sent me to tell you that Wei Zhao is also taking part in this Xuan Dan Sect trial!"

Zhao Qilei frowned, the look in his eyes as he regarded Chief Zhu now tinged with surprise. For a moment he found it hard to tell whose side Chief Zhu was really on! If he was one of Zhao Qibing's people, then his second sentence made perfect sense—to keep Zhao Qilei from resisting, so that he would go to the trial, they had told him this piece of news.

In fact, Zhao Qilei knew very well that this was merely a scheme of Zhao Qibing's to make him go to the trial of his own accord—an open stratagem, one might say.

But the words Chief Zhu had lowered his voice to say when he first entered the room were worth pondering. On whose behalf had he spoken them?

"Chief Zhu, you...?" Zhao Qilei frowned and asked, none too certain.

"I don't want to die..." That was all Chief Zhu said before he turned and left the room...

Don't want to die? Zhao Qilei was taken aback. But he was no fool, and he soon connected the two statements... The first had been spoken on behalf of someone else; the second on behalf of the patriarch, Old Master Zhao.

And that first someone, whoever could speak words to set his heart at ease—his identity was all but self-evident. Add to that the hint contained in the two words "Wei Zhao" in the second sentence, and Zhao Qilei could be certain: it was Wei Zhao who had sent Chief Zhu to bring him word!

And the reason Chief Zhu had gone along with it was simple—he was afraid to die.

That, then, explained everything. Having worked it all out, Zhao Qilei—gloomy for so many days—could not help but grow excited! It seemed Wei Zhao truly had not forgotten him; the warning he had sent Wei Zhao before had now been repaid!

Wei Zhao must have learned of his situation through some other channel, and so had prevailed upon Chief Zhu to bring him this one sentence!

That being so, Zhao Qilei was no longer so averse to entering the Xuan Dan Sect trial. He would treat it as a chance to temper himself alongside Wei Zhao.

After ending his call with Qiu Lingshan, Wei Zhao went to the neighboring villa, the one belonging to Han Jingyi.

Han Jingyi seemed delighted by Wei Zhao's arrival. "Brother Wei Zhao, you've come to see Jingjing! That method you mentioned before, the one that could help me with my alchemy—have you thought of it yet?"